Life-saving device.



I. J. REGTENWALDQ LIFE AV1NG DEVICE. APPLIOATION I1LED JUNE 'l," 1910.

Patented June 27, 1911.

' INVENTOR WITNESSES v I I zrfi g the passengers or occupants of the balloon.

object of the invention is to propermit of free movement of the limbs, either for swimming or walkin a A still further object hereinafter n sonar JOHN J. nncrnnwann, or rrrrstenne, rnnnsvtvnmn.

Linn-seizure nnvrcn.

5 legheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improve' ments in Life-Saving Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to life saving devices for aerial crafts,

gible of which the Zeppelin balloon is a fair example.

The primary object of my invention is to utilize ballonnets as life saving devices and as the lifting power of a dirigibleballoon, and to so arrange the ballonnets that they can be easily and quicklyreleased in the time of danger to safely convey and land "Another vide) a balloon with ballonnets that can be easily operated to land a passenger without necessarily stopping the operation of the balloon, and it is in this connection, that suitable provision is made for closing the ballonn'et com artmentf has been with rawn therefrom.

A furtherobject of the invention is to provide a ballonnet with a novel carrier'adaptedto be attached to the body, the carrier being-constructed whereby it will float on the water, can be'easily removed from the body, and when attached to the body will b purposes. of this invention is to provide a life saving device that will insure perfect safety of the occupants of a dirigible balloon.

With the above and such other objects in view as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be specifically described and then claimed.

" Reference will now be had to the drawing forming a partof this specification, where- Figure 1 at side elevation a dirigible eon pmvided with the'lite saving device,

Fig. 3 is an end view showing diagrammatically the life saving v Fig. 4 is a side elevacarrier adapted to form 1 part of the life saving device, Fig. 4 is a and more particu-- larly to that type of craft known as diri after the ballonnet Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June27, 1911. Application filed June 7,1910. 'Serial No. 565,544.

i Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of a detached ballonnet constituting a life saving device, of the dirigible balloon device in position, tion 'ofa detached front elevation of the same, Fig. 5 is an enlarged diagrammatic view of a ballonnet compartment, and Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the same. I

In the accompanying drawing 1 denotes a large dirigible balloon having the side walls thereoI the longitudinal axis of the-bal1oon pr0- vided with groups or series of compartments 2, said compartments being constructed within the .i'ramework of the balloon and of a sufiicient size to accommodate ballonnets 3'. Each compartment is provided with-a closing curtain 4: retained 1n an open posi tion within each compartment by the ballonnets 3 thereof, and attached to' the free edge of the closing curtain i is a cable 5, said cable being laced, as at 5 with the ends extending from the compartment 2 to the passenger or operators basket or car 6 suspended beneath the body'of the balloonl adjacent to each end thereof. The bailoument 2 by a panel 6 secured in position by cables Sextending downwardly to the basket or car 6, whereby the ballonnet 3 can be quickly released in case of accident or released'for other purposes and the compartment'2 closed by the curtain/l. I

' Each ballonnet is constructed of a similar or lighter material than that of-the large balloon 1 and is filled with a similar gas to the balloon 1, whereby the ballonnets will have the same, buoyancy and lifting power proportionately to theballoon 1, whereby the ballonnets within the compartment 2 will serve as one of the many units for. lift- .ing the large balloon, whileeach ballonnet is of a suificient size to support .gradually lower the same to the earth. Each valve cord 9 extending downwardly "to a point within easy reach. of an operator located in a belt 10 suspended b cables 11 am a centcr 'ringJZ, carried y the conballonnet is provided with a valve 9 and a below or above the plane of net 3 is normally retained in the "comparta body and I vergin supporting cables 13 of the ballonnets; h e belt is preferably madeof metallic sections 14 -with some of said sections hinged together, as at 15 while other hasp 17, thus permitting of the sections are connected by a staple 16 and 1t '10 being secured around the body under the arms, somewhatsimilar to an ordinary life preserver. Connected'to the inner sides of the metallic'sections 14, which are preferably made of aluminum are casings made of canvas containing cork, whereby the belt will support a body when floating upon the surface of Water.

The belt 10 is provided with a depending carrier or bag 18 having the front and rear sides thereof cut away, as at 19 and the front side of the carrier or bag connected by a strap 20 to .the belt 10. The carrier at the ;lower end of'the stra 20 is provided with carrier can easily sever the cables 11 of the bag of carrier 18-should it become necessary,

to quickly remove the carrier from the body or move the carrier from under the ballonnet, particularly when landing in water.

the balloon.

The valve cord 9 is provided whereby gas can be released from the ballonnetto hasten the-descent if necessary, also to allow gas to escape from the ballonnet for deflating purposes, thereby preventing the ballonnet from being lost should the carrier be severed from the same.

" The number of ballonnets used in connection with the large balloon depends upon the carrying capacity thereof and the use 0f vided whereby scouts can descend and 1'ec-. onnoit'er, or messengers can be safely landed from the balloon without necessarily retarding the progress of the same.

It is principally as a life saving device that my invention has been designed, there fore I do not care to confine myself to the type of balloon in connection with which the ballonnets are used, to the number of ballonnets employed, to the particular design of the carrier or to the disposal of the ballonncts in the balloon body.

To prevent a sudden descent of the ballonnet, air can be admitted to the ballonnet and thisis accomplished by providing the carrier with, a small tank or reservoir .10 containing compressed hydrogen, the tank 10 being provided with an outlet pipe 30 having a valve 31. The outlet pipe 30 is connected by a tube or flexible connection For instance, for war purposes a large number of ballonnets can be pro-' 32 to the ballonnet. The hydrogen within the tank 10 can be advantageously used when it is desired to gradually land.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new, is

1. In a life saving device, the combination of a balloon having'the'side walls thereof provided with compartments, inflated valved ballonnets detachably mounted in said compartments and each constituting a ,lifting unit when mounted in its respective compartment a carrier connected to each I ballonnet and means whereby the valve of the ballonnet can be operated from the carrier for the purpose of causing a deflation of the ballonnet.

ballonnet, and means operated from the carrier for opening the valve to cause the defiation of the ballonnet, and means for detachably retaining said ballonnets within said compartments.

3. In a life saving device, the combination with a balloon having the side walls thereof provided with compartments, of in flated ballonnets arranged within said compartments, a carrier connected to each ballonnet, means for detachably retaining said ballonnets within said compartments, and means for closing said compartments after said ballonnets have been released.

4.1m a life saving device, the combination of a balloon having compartments formed therein, inflated valved ballonnets detachably mounted within said compartments, a carrier connected to each ballonnet,

' each carrier comprising a sectional belt,

means whereby the valve of each of the ballonnets can be opened causing thereby a deflation of the ballonnet, a bag suspended from said belt, and means to keep said belt afloat upon water. i

o. In combination with a balloon having compartments formed therein, and baskets suspended from said balloon, inflated ballonnets detachably mounted in said compartments, carriers. connected to said ballonnets and positioned at said baskets, and rip panels adapted to rethin said ballonnets within said compartments.

(3. In combination, a balloon having the sides thereof provided with a plurality of comparti-nents extending longitudinally with respect to the bailoon, inflated ballonnets removably mounted in each of said compartments, means for closing the compartments, means whereby the compartments can be opened for the removal of the ballonnets, a carrier couueetedio each of the ballonnets, and means'operated from the carrier to name a deflation of the ballonnets.

7. ln alife saving device, the combination 5 iennet, means whereby the valve of the baleee,se 1

0i a balloon having the side 'walls thereof the carrier to the ballonnet to prevent a previded with compartments, inflated valved sudden descent of the bailonnet.

- bailonnets detachably mounted in said com- In testimony whereof I affix my signature partinents, a carrier connected to each balin the presence of two Witnesses.-

JOHN J. RECTENWALD. lonzwt can be operated from the carrier for Witnesses:

the purpose of causing a deflation of the bal- MAX H. SROLOVITZ, ionnet. and means for supplying air from KARL H. BU'1'LER.- 

